By John LeBlanc for MSN Autos Canada
Despite the lack of praise that sometimes deviated to outright derision, the Volkswagen Group’s ultra-luxury Bentley brand is moving ahead to put its EXP 9F SUV into production. The question is, should it?
By Andrew Stoy, AutoWeek
Setting a new world record for a Porsche 911 sold at auction, Steve McQueen's 1970 Porsche 911S went to a new owner for a cool $1.375 million during RM Auctions' Monterey event last night.
The 911 wasn't just owned by McQueen; it also featured prominently at the beginning of the film LeMans as the lead character, played by McQueen, drives through France reflecting on the realities of racing.
The beautiful dark green car had 112,000 miles (180,320 km) on its odometer. Despite the high-ish mileage, bids for the McQueen 911 started rolling in at $200,000. This 911 also happens to mark the 200th vehicle that RM Auctions has sold for more than $1 million.
By Michelle Koueiter, AutoWeek
Mini is debuting a 2012 special-edition Cooper hardtop infused with Rolls-Royce design at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance this week in California.
The limited-run Mini Inspired by Goodwood will be set up alongside the Mini Cooper coupe two-seater--first revealed at the Geneva motor show--making its U.S. debut. Both will be at the Mini display on pedestrian walkway and 17-Mile.
By Andrew Stoy, AutoWeek
After a month of teasers and tidbits, the Infiniti JX Concept was finally revealed in its entirety on Thursday in California, ahead of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. The seven-passenger, three-row crossover concept is expected to appear largely intact as the production 2012 Infiniti JX next spring.
Styling cues were obviously borrowed from the Essence concept, but the JX also seems to have a bit of Volvo XC90 in the greenhouse and even a touch of Mitsubishi Lancer in the front grille aperture. It carries Infiniti's signature heavy chrome front end a little more delicately than the hulking QX SUV, but there's no mistaking that the two are from the same company.
By Greg Migliore, AutoWeek
Eldorado. De Ville. Cadillac convertibles once meant something. And with a concept revealed on Thursday evening ahead of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, the brand that once purported to be the "Standard of the World" is again signaling its intention to retake that mantle of sport and luxury.
Called the Ciel, or pronounced C-L, which translates from French as “sky,” the four-seat, four-door concept is an open-air demonstration with rear-hinged rear doors, a hybrid driveline and 425 hp from a twin-turbo V6 engine that displaces 3.6 liters.
By Dale Jewett, AutoWeek
Lexus on Thursday pulled the wraps off the redesigned 2013 GS sedan, revealing a sharper look that was previewed last spring with the LF-Gh concept car.
The 2013 Lexus GS rides on a new rear-drive platform, although the car's wheelbase and exterior dimensions are nearly identical to the current car. Under the hood is a 3.5-liter V6 rated at 306 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque - marginally better than the output of the current Lexus GS 350. The engine is fitted with both port and direct injection.
By Greg Migliore, AutoWeek
One of the headliners of the 2009 Detroit auto show, the Cadillac Converj concept, will become production reality.
Cadillac confirmed some details on Wednesday afternoon and said that the coupe will be called the ELR. It will use a T-shaped lithium-ion battery pack, and a generator kicks on to extend range, similar to the Chevrolet Volt. The Cadillac will also use a four-cylinder gasoline engine, again like the Chevy.
By Dale Jewett, AutoWeek
Infiniti on Thursday released a first look at the JX seven-passenger crossover it plans to build at the Nissan assembly plant in Smyrna, Tenn.
A concept of the JX will be shown publicly during the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in August, and the production version is scheduled to debut at the Los Angeles auto show in November. The Infiniti JX is set to go on sale in spring 2012 as a 2013 model.
Infiniti has said the styling of the JX greenhouse will pick up cues from the Essence concept car that debuted in 2009 at the Geneva motor show.
A three-row crossover will give Infiniti a competitor to vehicles such as the Lexus GX and the Acura MDX.
The move will give the luxury division of Nissan three crossovers. The current two--the EX and the FX--are five-passenger, two-seating-row vehicles. Neither have been big sellers for the brand.
Infiniti plans to release more photos of the concept in the weeks leading up to the Pebble Beach event.
By Mark Atkinson for MSN Autos
While using a roundabout in place of a four-way intersection has long been the choice of city planners in Europe and Asia, very few have found their way into neighbourhoods and cities in Canada. That's left us fuming at red lights for far too long, wasting time, money and gasoline in the process. A well-designed roundabout is a thing of beauty, and is very simple to use.
Thankfully, there are a few roundabouts around Fredericton - one has replaced an old 'traditional' intersection to increase traffic flow on the north side of the city - and more are coming. The others are located in Oromocto between the Trans Canada Highway and the Canadian Forces base at Gagetown. Mostly, users don't have too much trouble navigating them, but occasionally you'll get someone so shocked and scared that they suffer from paralysis.
Here's how you can get through in one piece: watch for a suitable gap in the traffic, accelerate smoothly up to speed, keep your eyes up for other cars entering ahead of you. When you come to your 'exit', signal to the right, and head on out. The best part about roundabouts is that if you somehow miss your turn, you just stay on for another lap...
So three cheers to road planners ripping up those nasty four-way stops and replacing them with roundabouts. Your brakes will thank you.
By Justin Couture
Meet America’s latest supercar manufacturer, Devon Motorworks. It has just taken the wraps off its first model, the GTX, at this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
Loosely based on Dodge’s Viper coupe, the GTX features a steel chassis dressed in bespoke carbon fibre bodywork. The design, penned by former Ford stylist Daniel Paulin is a departure of most supercars which are dominated by gaping intakes and various vents. I can’t help but see a bit of a resemblance to the British sports car manufacturer, TVR, particularly its Sagaris with its numerous ventilation slats, prominent fenders and flowing roofline.
Entrance to the minimal but luxurious cockpit is done through a pair of beetle-type doors that articulate up and forwards.
Justin Couture
Reportedly, the first word to come out of his mouth was "car," and since then it's evolved into a life-long passion. Justin is a fan of passionately engineered vehicles, but in general, loves the industry as much as the cars it produces. Justin is the Assistant Editor of MSN Autos, and manages The Passing Lane.
Mark Atkinson
Mark has a decade’s experience driving and writing about thousands of vehicles, and two decades before as an inveterate car nut and race fan. He’s also a first-time father, so you’ll need to excuse the occasional half-awake daddy rant about how his daughter’s car-seat won’t fit.
John LeBlanc
After a career in advertising and marketing, John decided to turn his jaundiced eye towards the world of cars. Since then, he's become one of Canada's most vociferous critics of the industry, delivering objective analysis of the new car scene.
